Is Your Hotel Ready for AI-Powered Travel Search?

Artificial intelligence is changing the way travelers plan their trips.

Instead of scrolling through dozens of websites, more travelers are asking AI assistants questions like:

"Find me a pet-friendly hotel near the beach with a king bed and free breakfast."

or

"Show me a family-friendly hotel with ocean-view rooms and free parking."

AI-powered search tools don't "guess" the answer. They look for clear, accurate, and detailed information published by hotels across websites, booking engines, and other online sources.

That means the quality of your room information has never been more important.

Start with Your Room Types

Think of each room type as its own product.

Every room should clearly explain what makes it different from the others.

Create a separate room type whenever it has:

• A different rate
• A different bed configuration
• Different views
• Unique amenities
• A different room code in your Property Management System (PMS)

Using OpenHotel PMS?

We also recommend keeping your room types aligned with your connected distribution channels to help maintain consistency across your booking experience.

A Picture Is Worth More Than Ever

Photos are often the first thing travelers  and AI search tools use to understand your property.

Take a few minutes to review each room type and make sure your images:

• Are high quality
• Represent the room accurately
• Show the room's best features
• Are displayed in the best order

Within Rooms > Manage Rooms, simply drag and drop your photos to choose the order they appear on your Booking Engine.

Lead with the image that best represents the guest experience.

Don't Forget Alt Text

Each photo should also include Alt Text a short description of what's shown in the image.

For example:

✅ King Suite with ocean-view balcony

✅ Deluxe Double Room with two queen beds

✅ Bathroom with walk-in rainfall shower

Alt text serves two important purposes:

• Helps guests using screen readers navigate your website (ADA accessibility)
• Gives search engines and emerging AI assistants additional context about your rooms

The more descriptive and accurate your content is, the easier it becomes for both people and technology to understand what your property offers.

Review Your Room Descriptions

Ask yourself:

• Does each room description clearly explain what's unique?
• Are the amenities complete and up to date?
• Are bed types correct?
• Are views mentioned?
• Is occupancy accurate?
• Have outdated photos been removed?

Small updates today can make a big difference in how guests discover and understand your property tomorrow.

Take a Few Minutes to Audit Your Rooms

A quick review of your room information can help improve your direct booking experience while preparing your property for the next generation of AI-powered travel search.

To review your rooms:

Property → Manage Rooms

From there, you can:

• Update room descriptions
• Reorder photos
• Add new images
• Add Alt Text to every photo
• Review amenities and occupancy information

As AI continues to shape how travelers discover and compare accommodations, clear, accurate, and well-organized content will become an even greater advantage.

A few minutes spent updating your rooms today can help your property stand out tomorrow.

💡 OpenHotel Tip

Make it a habit to review your room content at least twice a year, or whenever you renovate a room, update amenities, or add new photography. Keeping your information current helps ensure guests and the AI tools they increasingly rely on always have the most accurate picture of your property.